University of Louisville
at Southern Miss *
Cardinal Nine Slugs Out 11-9 Win over Southern Miss
April 15, 2002 | Baseball
April 14, 2002
HATTIESBURG, MS - Three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth vaulted Louisville to a 11-9 win over Southern Miss in baseball action on Sunday. After dropping the opener, the Cards(21-10, 10-5) won the final two games of the series against the conference leader, placing them in a tie for second.
A seesaw battle opened with an RBI ground out by first baseman Morgan Bojorquez that scored Adam Haley for a 1-0 Cardinal lead.
Golden Eagle(24-13, 10-5) left fielder Jeff Cook responded with his 10th home run of the season, evening the slate at one after one.
Centerfielder Dave Williams Jr. walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch to lead off the third. Haley singled to score Williams and advanced to third on a hit and run single by J.T. LaFountain. An RBI groundout by right fielder Mark Jurich drove in Haley, and one out later, left fielder Josh Bolen hit a towering drive to left over the scoreboard for his eighth home run of the season and a 5-1 lead.
USM battled back for three in the bottom of third on a two run double by Cook and an RBI double by catcher Brad Willcutt, making it a 5-4 game.
Third baseman Mike Budak singled to lead off the fourth and moved to second on a perfect bunt by Williams Jr. Haley sacrificed the runners over and they both scored on a single through the right side by second baseman J.T. LaFountain upping the lead to 7-4.
Once again the Eagles responded with runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by shortstop Matt Shepherd and a sac fly by Carlos Velasquez, cutting the lead to 7-6. With a runner at third and two out, third baseman Allen Winningham drove a pitch deep to left center. Williams Jr. ranged to his right, leaped at the wall, and reached far over the fence with his glove hand, making an unbelievable catch to end the inning. He sprinted back to the dugout to a standing ovation from the Southern Miss fans.
A sacrifice fly by second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir and an RBI single by first baseman Jason Lowery, put USM up 8-7 after five.
Winningham singled home a run in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-7.
In the Cardinal eighth, with one out, LaFountain drilled his fourth home run over the season just over the fence in right, cutting the lead to 9-8. An out later, Bojorquez lifted a towering shot down the left field line for his seventh long ball on the year, tying the game.
Bolen followed with a bunt single off of reliever Anthony Dewitt, and DH Carlos De la Osa ripped a double into the left field corner, scoring Bolen and putting the Cards up 10-9.
Leading off the ninth, Budak destroyed the first pitch he saw high over the fence in left for his fourth home run of the season and an 11-9 lead.
Senior Grant Williams entered to open the ninth and struck out Cook on three pitches, but the third strike was wild, and Cook reached first. With the tying run at the plate Williams retired the next three batters for his first save of the season.
Carlos Fernandez (3-1) allowed two hits and struck out one in three innings of work for the win. Zach Jackson started and gave up four runs on three hits in 2.2 frames. Josh Ring gave up four runs on six hits and a walk in two innings of relief and Garrett Estabrook surrendered a run on two hits in a third of an inning.
DeWitt (1-4) took the loss allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in 1.1 frames. Starter Charlie Rodgers was rocked for seven runs on eight hits and two walks in 3.1 innings. Cliff Russum gave up two runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings of relief. He struck out five.
De la Osa had four of the Cardinals 18 hits. Haley, LaFountain and Bolen each had three knocks, while Budak and Williams Jr. also had multi-hit efforts.
Louisville will host Xavier on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. ET at Cardinal Stadium. Admission is free.
